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Objective To relate serum and follicular fluid (FF) kisspeptin and estradiol levels in different stages of stimulation during Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) with oocyte maturity and endometrial thickness among unexplained infertile females. Methods This cross-sectional study was carried out at the Australian Concept Infertility Medical Centre from March 2017 till March 2018. Fifty unexplained infertile females, booked for ICSI, were included in the study. Serum kisspeptin and estradiol were estimated by Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay in all four stages; 1: follicular stimulation, 2: ovulation induction, 3: oocyte pickup, and 4: embryo transfer. FF was aspirated during oocyte retrieval (stage 3) for the analysis of KP and estradiol. Pregnancy outcomes were categorized as non-pregnant, preclinical abortion, and clinical pregnancy. Results The age of the study subjects was 32.04 ± 2.29 (Mean±SD) years, with mean BMI of 28.51 ± 4.15 (Mean±SD) kg/m 2 . Mean serum kisspeptin and estradiol levels increased in all subjects as the stimulation proceeded stages 1–3; however, the mean dropped after retrieval of the oocytes (stage 4). Out of 27 female subjects who completed the cycle, 17 remained non-pregnant, 4 had preclinical abortion, and 6 acquired clinical pregnancy. The FF kisspeptin concentration was significantly higher than serum concentrations and positively correlated with serum and FF estradiol concentrations. FF-kisspeptin correlated with serum kisspeptin in Stage 3 (r = 0.930, p<0.001), maturity of oocyte (r = 0.511, p = 0.006) and endometrial thickness (r = 0.522, p = 0.005). Kisspeptin in stage 3 was also found to correlate with endometrial thickness (r = 0.527, p = 0.005) and with estradiol (r = 0.624, p = 0.001) independently. Conclusion Increase in serum and FF-kisspeptin and estradiol levels from stages 1 to 3, resulted in an optimum endometrial thickness, probability of fertilization of oocytes and chances of clinical pregnancy in Assisted Reproductive Techniques /ICSI cycles of unexplained infertile females.

Background Iron deficiency anemia is a common public health issue among women of reproductive age (WRA) because it can result in adverse maternal and birth outcomes. Although studies are undertaken to assess iron efficacy, some gaps and limitations in the existing literature need to be addressed. To fill the gaps, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing the role of iron in reducing anemia among WRA in low-middle-income countries (LMICs). Methods A comprehensive search strategy was used to search Medline through PubMed, Embase, and Science Direct for RCTs published between 2000 and 2020. The primary outcome was the mean change in hemoglobin level. We used standardized mean differences and their respective 95% CI to estimate the pooled effect. We used I2 statistics and Egger’s test to assess heterogeneity and publication bias, respectively. This review was carried out in accordance with revised guidelines based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Results The findings showed that iron therapy improved hemoglobin and ferritin levels, though the results varied across studies. An overall pooled effect estimate for the role of iron therapy in improving the hemoglobin levels among WRA was -0.71 (95% CI: -1.27 to -0.14) (p = 0.008). Likewise, the overall pooled effect estimate for the role of iron therapy in improving the ferritin levels among WRA was -0.76 (95% CI: -1.56 to 0.04) (p = 0.04). The heterogeneity (I2) across included studies was found to be statistically significant for studies assessing hemoglobin (Q = 746.93, I2 = 97.59%, p = 0.000) and ferritin level (Q = 659.95, I2 = 97.88%, p = 0.000). Conclusion Iron therapy in any form may reduce anemia’s burden and improve hemoglobin and ferritin levels, indicating improvement in iron-deficiency anemia. More evidence is required, however, to assess the morbidity associated with iron consumption, such as side effects, work performance, economic outcomes, mental health, and adherence to the intervention, with a particular focus on married but non-pregnant women planning a pregnancy in the near future. Trial registration Registered with PROSPERO and ID is CRD42020185033.

Background: Acute kidney injury (AKI) after cardiac surgery is associated with an increased mortality and morbidity. Different definitions for AKI have been used such as Acute Kidney Injury Network (AKIN), Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) or risk, injury, failure, loss, end-stage kidney disease (RIFLE). Each of these definitions have their own benefits and limitations for predicting the degree of AKI and adverse outcomes following cardiac surgery. This study was aimed to compare the three AKI definitions to diagnose AKI and their predictive ability for mortality and morbidity after isolated coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG) in a South Asian cohort. Material and Methods: A single center retrospective review was conducted on 1508 patients having undergone isolated CABG surgery during January 2015 to January 2019. AKI was assessed on three definitions and comparative receiver operating characteristics curves were built against the outcomes to assess discriminative power of each. Results: Mean age of participants was 59.43 (±1.12) years, predominantly males (82.6%). Patient with AKI were elder, more likely to be diabetic and hypertensive. AKI by any definition occurred in 58.7% (885/1508) patients. Frequency of AKI was 508 (33.7%), 517 (34.4%) and 871 (57.8%) on AKIN, KDIGO and RIFLE criteria, respectively. The proportion of patients with RIFLE- risk 619 (41%) was greater compared with AKIN stage 1 [342 (22.7%)], and KDIGO stage 1 [330 (21.9%)], while for stage 2 and 3 the proportions were comparable across the three systems. Area under the curve (AUC) for 30-day mortality for AKIN was [0.786, (95% CI: 0.764 to 0.806)], KDIGO: [0.796, (95% CI: 0.775 to 0.816)], and for RIFLE [0.844, (95% CI: 0.825 to 0.862)]. AUC for overall morbidity were in undesirable ranges (i.e. >0.5 to ≤ 0.7) for all three definitions. Conclusion: In a South Asian cohort, performance of AKIN and KDIGO criteria was comparable to diagnose AKI, while RIFLE definition, though overestimated the incidence of AKI particularly stage 1, and had an excellent discriminatory power to predict mortality compared to other two definitions.

Background This review aims to describe existing evidence on the state of hypertension in Pakistan, including the prevalence, associated risk factors, preventive strategies, and challenges in the management of hypertension. Methods A comprehensive literature search was conducted electronically using PubMed and Google Scholar. Using specific screening methodology, 55 articles were selected to be included. Results We found from this extensive review that several small studies report high prevalence of hypertension but there is a lack of population based prevalence of hypertension in Pakistan. Lifestyle risk factors such as obesity, unhealthy diet, decreased physical activity, low socioeconomic status, and lack of access to care were the main associated factors with hypertension. Lack of blood pressure monitoring practices and medication non-adherence were also linked to uncontrolled hypertension in Pakistan and were more evident in primary care setups. The evidence presented is essential for delineating the burden of the disease, hence allowing for better management of this underserved population. Conclusion There is a need for updated surveys to depict the true prevalence and management of hypertension in Pakistan. Cost-effective implementation strategies and policies at the national level are needed for both prevention and control of hypertension.